Guilford County NcArchives Military Records.....Hamilton, Joseph Revwar - Pension ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com June 16, 2006, 2:32 am Pension Application Of Joseph Hamilton, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll 1171, Application # R4517 JOSEPH HAMILTON, a resident of Davidson County, TN, aged seventy-three or four years: “In June 1780, he volunteered his service as a soldier under Captain BELL, in Guilford County, NC. The company was placed under the command of Colonel PAISLEY and all of the regiments commanded by General DAVIDSON who occupied the station, at that time of General RUTHERFORD, who was in the hands of the British as a prisoner at war, taken at General GATES Defeat. Upon the rendezvous at Guilford Courthouse, it was the principle design of the General to awe a set of Tories who were flying about the country [of] Guilford Courthouse, last. All of the army went in pursuit of the Tories, up to Spryker’s, 18 miles from the Courthouse, where information was had of the Tories trail.” ‘The next morning after our arrival, we pursued on to the Richlands of Hugh Warior? Here it was discovered the Tories were marching for the British encampment, under CORNWALLIS, at Camden, and to overtake them, was deemed impossible, so all turned for Guilford Courthouse again, which reached, all were disbanded, excepting a company posted to guard the jail, which contained some prisoners. Sergeant SAM BELL commanded this company, applicant being one. When they had guarded these prisoners awhile, this company was turned over to Captain FORBIS, other companies raised, forming the regiment under Colonel PAISLEY and General DAVIDSON commandant, about the first of September of that year 1780.” “All of the army moved off towards the British camp under CORNWALLIS, marched up through Salisbury in Rowan County, thence to Mecklenburg County, where General GREENE was met with the main regular army. The conjunction of the two armies was made at the Black-Jack camp. Each of the contending armies made many maneuvers, exerting their skill for supremacy in tactics, before any assault would be made.” “Finally, and before the retreat of the American army, applicant, though but a boy of sixteen years of age, obtained a furlough on account of sickness from Captain FORBIS, and started back for Guilford Courthouse. This was about the twenty-fifth of December 1780, Christmas-time. His whole term of service this tour, beginning in the latter part of June 1780 and ending at or about the twenty-fifth day of December of that year, will make the term of service about 6 months.” “Applicant served in the earlier part of 1780, when the Battle at Guilford Courthouse was fought [wrong year, per Heitman March 15, 1781], but the service was short and bad recollection about it, together with the want of proof and dates, [prevent?] him from entering into the minutiae of his service, claiming compensation alone for the above enumerated six months, which he hopes fully to establish by evidence of an undoubted kind, and which will accompany or append this application-the certificate of service for three months under Captain FORBIS, applicant has , yet shall also be general-it has been defaced or torn, not enough though it is to be hoped to reward.” “JAMES PORTER makes oath that he is well acquainted with JOSEPH HAMILTON, that he knew him when he enlisted in 1780 under Captain FORBIS, with whom he served three months. Affiant well remembers this latter fact, because he was Sergeant in Captain FORBIS’ company..." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/guilford/military/revwar/pensions/hamilton185gmt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb